Energy consumption is one of the major concerns in the current environment, not only because of the limited availability of non-renewable fuels, but also due to the high cost and the pollution generated by energy production. In general, industries consume large quantities of electricity, fuels and other types of energy. Among the industries, the chemical industry is one of the highest energy consumers because of the nature of its processes. This fact makes the chemical industry one of the best candidates for the study and evaluation of different technologies to improve the efficiency of the energy use without affecting the productivity and quality of their processes and products. This thesis analyzes the energy consumption in the chemical industry and provides recommendations to increase the energy efficiency of the critical systems utilized in this industry. Different methods to reduce the energy losses during generation and transmission, the use of waste heat for improving energy efficiency, and several analysis tools to help in evaluating the potential energy and cost savings for each facility are also discussed in this thesis. Several case studies are reviewed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the energy savings recommendations and tools presented in this investigation.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Coega Development Corporation

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Many organisations have reached plateaus in their safety performance and are constantly exploring new methods to improve. Traditional safety practices e.g. engineering solutions, safety management systems, and other administrative controls do not enable organisations to make the required step change in safety performance. Safety culture is a new safety “buzz word” and is promoted as a phenomenon that could assist organisations in improving safety performance in their endeavour to safety excellence. It is however, a relatively new concept and research in this field was completed during the past two decades only. Safety culture is a multi-dimensional, dynamic and complex concept. An improved understanding of the safety culture concept is required to enable organisations to determine the value of pursuing safety culture enhancement in their quest for superior safety performance.

Este estudo aborda a produção brasileira de historiografia da química em artigos de periódicos, no período de 1974 a 2004. O pressuposto investigado é a interligação entre a atividade química industrial desenvolvida no país e a quantidade de artigos produzida. A discussão do debate internalista/externalista foi escolhida para iluminar alguns aspectos dessa produção, ao longo do período. Para isso, realizamos levantamentos dos artigos nos principais periódicos brasileiros que abrigam a historiografia da química, bem como a produção industrial do setor químico nacional no período estudado. A análise desse conjunto de dados nos revelou que existe uma inter-relação entre a produção industrial e a historiografia da química / This study broaches the Brazilian production of chemistry historiography in articles from periodicals embracing the period from 1974 to 2004. The presupposition under investigation is the interconnection between the industrial chemical activity developed in the country and the quantity of articles produced. The discussion on the internalist/externalist issue was chosen to highlight some aspects of that production during that period. In order to achieve that we carried out a survey of articles in the major Brazilian periodicals that cover chemistry historiography as well as the national chemical sector industrial production during the studied period. The analysis of that data has revealed that there is an interconnection between the industrial production and chemical historiography

En industrie chimique, on cherche continuellement des molécules biologiquement actives essentiellement pour les domaines pharmaceutique et agrochimique. De plus en plus les exigences à ces produits deviennent dures. Elles concernent, par exemple, les activités secondaires ou l'écotoxicité. En conséquence, un grand nombre de structures doit être testé pour trouver des composés actifs remplissant les propriétés imposées. En parallèle, les capacités dans l'industrie pour tester un grand nombre de composés différents en peu de temps ont considérablement augmentées. En conséquence, l'industrie cherche des nouvelles méthodes de synthèse pour accéder rapidement à une plus grande variété des structures moléculaires.Dans ce contexte, l'industrie chimique et pharmaceutique s'intéresse fortement aux réactions photochimiques appliquées en synthèse organique. Ces réactions permettent de synthétiser des composés en grande variété structurale inaccessibles par la synthèse organique conventionnelle. Les produits des réactions photochimiques sont une partie de l’espace chimique qui n’a pas encore été complètement exploré pour la recherche des structures avec de l’activité biologique.Dans les travaux de thèse presentés nous nous sommes interessés d’abord à la photocycloaddition [2+2] entre un groupement carbonyl et un alcène, la réaction de Paternò-Büchi. Nous avons utilisé cette reáction pour obtenir des oxétanes qui possèdent des groupements intéressants en agrochimie et au même temps des sites clés qui permettront d’autres transformations lors des étapes ultérieures. Par la suite nous avons exploré la réaction de Paternò-Büchi avec des alcènes fluorés. Les résultats ont été très encourageants. Nous avons découvert une nouvelle famille d’oxétanes fluorés très stables. Au vu de ses propriétés, ces produits peuvent être utilisés comme des <chassis moléculaires> pour l’obtention des composés biologiquement actifs. D’autre côté, une nouvelle reactivité photochimique a été découverte : il s’agit d’une réaction Photo-Wittig analogue. Cette reactivité chimique dépend des substituants sur le carbonyl. Nous pensons que cette réactivité chimique est directement liée à l’état excité du carbonyl. / In life sciences, there is a continuos research for new biological active molecules, this is true for both pharmaceultical industry and agrochemical industry. In the last years regulations have become more and more severe. In recent years, the technology for the test of new chemical compounds in industry has considerably evolved. Nowdays it is possible to test a vast number of compounds for the screening of biological activity in a short time. This means that industry is searching for new methodologies that allow the obtention of diverse chemical structures that can present biological activity.In this context, chemical industry, in particular, pharmaceutical and agrochemical industry are interested in the use of photochemical reactions in organic synthesis. Photochemical reactions allow the obtention of a variety of complex structures that are not easily obtained by classical methods. This chemical space has not been completly explored in the search of biological active compounds.In the works presented in this PhD research we first explored the [2+2] photocycloadtion of a carbonyl compound to an olefin, the called Paternò-Büchi reaction. We succesfully applied this reaction to obtain oxetanes wich posses agro-like substituents and key sites for further functionalization, a requirement demanded in industry. We also explored the use of fluorinated olefins in this photoreaction. The results are very promising: we discovered a new family of stable fluorinated oxetanes. These compounds can be used cas molecular scaffolds for the obtention of biological active compounds. At the same time, we discovered a new photochemical reactivity: a Photo-Wittig like reaction. This new reactivity depends on the substitution pattern of the carbonyl group. We hypothesize that the new reactivity depends on the excited state of the carbonyl compound.

by Chan Cheong Hee (Kenneth). / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1993. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / table of contents --- p.iii / appendix --- p.iv / preface --- p.v / Part I (1989-1991) / Chapter a. --- background --- p.1 / Chapter b. --- organization settings --- p.5 / Chapter c. --- issues that drive the changes --- p.14 / Chapter d. --- diagnosis --- p.17 / Chapter e. --- interventions --- p.22 / Chapter f. --- commentaries --- p.25 / part ii (1992 - future) / Chapter a. --- introduction --- p.28 / Chapter b. --- diagnosis --- p.29 / Chapter c. --- interventions recommended --- p.44 / Chapter d. --- conclusion --- p.57 / appendix / Chapter I. --- PRC/HK SALES ORGANIZATION / Chapter II. --- PRC REP. OFFICE ORGANIZATION / Chapter III. --- CURRENT SITUATION - JOB RESPONSIBILITIES OF HK BASED SALES REP. AND LOCAL NATIONAL / Chapter IV. --- PERCEPTION OF CURRENT ORGANIZATION / Chapter V. --- ULTIMATE ARRANGEMENT / Chapter VI. --- COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATION INTERIM REPORT - 11 CRITICAL ISSUES / Chapter VII. --- ORGANIZATION CHANGE - DISCUSSION WITH STAFF / Chapter VIII. --- QUESTIONNAIRE FORM / Chapter IX. --- QUESTIONNAIRE RESULT / Chapter X. --- organization chart - 1996 projection

This diploma thesis is focused on a little-known and therefore interesting topic. The work concernes the evaluation of the effectivity of Responsible Care Programme -- Odpovědné podnikání v chemii under conditions of the Czech Republic. Of great importance is the part of the work summarizing the motivation to implement RC programme, the barriers to implement RC programme as well as the evaluation of its benefits. The case study based on the Lovochemie INC Lovosice served well to evaluate the effectivity of RC programme and the application of the supporting RC activities . The enterprize has been respecting the rules of responsible bussiness practice since 1996. Discussion concerning the results achieved in the Czech Republic and Europe is also intersting. The danger for RC programme are similar voluntary instruments of environmental protection (e.g. ISO 14001 and EMAS), which, on the other hand, may act to support the results achieved within the basic indicators of healt, safety and environmental protection.

Este estudo aborda a produção brasileira de historiografia da química em artigos de periódicos, no período de 1974 a 2004. O pressuposto investigado é a interligação entre a atividade química industrial desenvolvida no país e a quantidade de artigos produzida. A discussão do debate internalista/externalista foi escolhida para iluminar alguns aspectos dessa produção, ao longo do período. Para isso, realizamos levantamentos dos artigos nos principais periódicos brasileiros que abrigam a historiografia da química, bem como a produção industrial do setor químico nacional no período estudado. A análise desse conjunto de dados nos revelou que existe uma inter-relação entre a produção industrial e a historiografia da química / This study broaches the Brazilian production of chemistry historiography in articles from periodicals embracing the period from 1974 to 2004. The presupposition under investigation is the interconnection between the industrial chemical activity developed in the country and the quantity of articles produced. The discussion on the internalist/externalist issue was chosen to highlight some aspects of that production during that period. In order to achieve that we carried out a survey of articles in the major Brazilian periodicals that cover chemistry historiography as well as the national chemical sector industrial production during the studied period. The analysis of that data has revealed that there is an interconnection between the industrial production and chemical historiography

Past operational practices at chemical manufacturing facilities and widespread use of synthetic chemicals in agriculture, industry, and military operations have introduced many anthropogenic compounds to the biosphere. Some of them are readily biodegradable as a likely consequence of bacterial evolution of efficient degradation pathways, whereas others are partially degraded or persistent in the environment. Insight about biodegradation mechanisms and distribution of bacteria responsible provide the basis to predict the fate of synthetic chemicals in the environment and to enable bioremediation. The main focus of the research described here encompasses basic science to discover pathways and evolutionary implications of aerobic biodegradation of two specific synthetic chemicals, cis-dichloroethene (cDCE) and diphenylamine (DPA). cDCE is a suspected carcinogen that frequently accumulates due to transformation of perchloroethene and trichloroethene at many contaminated sites. Polaromonas sp. strain JS666 is the only isolate able to use cDCE as the growth substrate, but the degradation mechanism was unknown. In this study, the degradation pathway of cDCE by strain JS666 and the genes involved were determined by using heterologous gene expression, inhibition studies, enzyme assays, and analysis of intermediates. The requirement of oxygen for cDCE degradation and inhibition of cDCE degradation by cytochrome P450 specific inhibitors suggested that cytochrome P450 monooxygenase catalyzes the initial steps of cDCE degradation. The finding was supported by the observation that an E. coli recombinant expressing cytochrome P450 monooxygenase catalyzes the transformation of cDCE to dichloroacetaldehyde and small amounts of the epoxide. Both the transient accumulation of dichloroacetaldehyde in cDCE degrading cultures and dichloroacetaldehyde dehydrogenase activities in cell extracts of JS666 further support a pathway involving the degradation of cDCE through dichloroacetaldehyde. Molecular phylogeny of the cytochrome P450 gene and organization of neighboring genes suggest that the cDCE degradation pathway evolved in a progenitor capable of degrading dichloroacetaldehyde by the recruitment of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase gene from alkane assimilating bacteria. The discovery provides insight about the evolution of the aerobic cDCE biodegradation pathway and sets the stage for field applications. DPA has been widely used as a precursor of dyes, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and photographic chemicals and as a stabilizer for explosives, but little was known about the biodegradation of the compound. Therefore, bacteria able to use DPA as the growth substrate were isolated by selective enrichment from DPA-contaminated sediment and the degradation pathway and the genes that encode the enzymes were elucidated. Transposon mutagenesis, the sequence similarity of putative open reading frames to those of well characterized dioxygenases, and 18O2 experiments support the conclusion that the initial reaction in DPA degradation is catalyzed by a multi-component ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase. Aniline and catechol produced from the initial reaction of DPA degradation are then completely degraded via the common aniline degradation pathway. Molecular phylogeny and organization of the genes involved were investigated to provide insight about the evolution of DPA biodegradation. The fate and transport of toxic chemicals are of a great concern at several historically contaminated sites where anoxic contaminant plumes emerge into water bodies. The release of toxic chemicals to overlying water poses a potential source of environmental exposure. Bench scale studies were conducted to evaluate the impact of biodegradation on the transport of toxic chemicals across the sediment/water interface. These studies demonstrated that substantial populations of bacteria associated with organic detritus at the interface rapidly biodegrade toxic chemicals as they migrate from contaminated sediment to overlying water, suggesting that the natural attenuation processes serve as a remedial strategy for contaminated sediments and protect the overlying water.

No description available.